It’s easy to take water for granted when all we have to do is turn on the faucet and it “magically” appears. By now, though, we should all understand the importance of conservation. Additionally, we should all cooperate as the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) asks customers to conserve wherever possible.
NTMWD (www.ntmwd.com) and www.waterisawesome.com offer easy-to-follow conservation tips. Follow these suggestions to do your part:
Outdoors
- WaterMyYard.org will help you know when and how much to water your lawn.
- To minimize evaporation, do not water between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
- Run sprinklers in short cycles. Then wait 30-45 minutes in between to allow grass to absorb water and reduce runoff.
- Check irrigation heads on the sprinkler system to ensure they are watering the lawn, not the driveway, sidewalk or street.
- Raise the mower blade height during summer and avoid cutting more than 1/3 of the leaf blade at one time. This conserves water and reduces plant stress.
- Check outside spigots, pipes and hoses for leaks. Repair or replace as needed.
- Plant native and adapted plants to reduce the amount of water required by your lawn.
Indoors
- Install low-flow toilets, showerheads and
- Wash dishes in the dishwasher rather than by hand. Don’t waste water by pre-rinsing dishes. Only run the dishwasher when it’s full. If you must wash dishes by hand, don’t leave the water running while you wash. Fill the second side of the sink with rinse water instead.
- Invest in an energy-efficient clothes washing machine and adjust the water level to the load size. Only run with a full load.
- Install a shower timer, shorten the length of your shower and turn off water while your wash your hair and body, then turn water back on to rinse off.
- Turn off water while shaving and rinsing razor in a plugged sink.
- Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth and washing your face or hands.
- Look for the WaterSense label when replacing old or worn-out fixtures or appliances. WaterSense makes it easy to select products that use less water yet perform as well or better than conventional models.
- Use your water meter to check for leaks. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the average household’s leaks can account for more than 10,000 gallons of water wasted each year, which adds up to the volume of water needed to wash about 270 loads of laundry.
- Here’s what you can do to see if your house has a leak.
- Allow for 30–60 minutes during which time no water should be used on the property.
- Find your water meter, usually located in the front of the house near the street.
- Remove the lid and write down the numbers shown on the meter at the start of the test.
- Return to check the meter reading after 30–60 minutes have passed.
- If the numbers haven’t changed, you do not have a leak. You’re finished.
- If the numbers have changed, close the shut-off valves under all toilets in the house and repeat steps 1–4.
- If the numbers have not changed after shutting off the toilet valves, you might have a running toilet that should be serviced.
Sources: www.ntmwd.com and www.waterisawesome.com